MLB Player News

Vazquez went 0-for-3 and threw out a base stealer in Sunday's game against the Braves. He's 2-for-10 with a double and an RBI so far this spring.

Seeing the strength come back to Vazquez's arm after Tommy John surgery is significant. The young catcher threw out 52 percent of runners (15 of 29) in 2014 before his surgery, but he dropped down to just 35 percent (8-for-23) in 2016. His hitting remains suspect, so Vazquez needs to be at his peak defensively, including his ability to control the running game. He's expected to open the season in Boston and share catching duties with Sandy Leon.

Deglan will not participate in the World Baseball Classic due to shoulder surgery, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

The native Canadian recently latched on with the Yankees on a minor league deal at the end of January. Due to his recent flare-up of shoulder soreness, he won't be able to participate in the WBC, leaving Canada with George Kottaras as the only catcher currently on the roster. Given the Yankees' depth at catcher on the active roster, Deglan will likely begin the year in the minors.

Casali went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run and two runs overall in Tuesday's 19-0 Grapefruit League victory over the Twins.

The Rays' backstop opened what would be a 19-run barrage by blasting a two-run homer to left with Rickie Weeks, Jr. aboard in the first. Casali is battling Luke Maile and non-roster invitee Jesus Sucre for a backup catcher spot, and given that prized offseason signing Wilson Ramos isn't expected back from knee surgery until at least May and may be limited to designated hitter duties for some time thereafter, he would appear to have a solid chance of securing a spot on the Opening Day roster. The 28-year-old's unsightly .186/.273/.336 line last season belied some solid pop in his bat, as Casali collected 18 extra-base hits, including 10 round-trippers, over 256 plate appearances.

Maile went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI singles in Sunday's 7-3 Grapefruit League win over the Red Sox.

Both of Maile's run-scoring hits, which came in the fourth and eighth innings, were of the two-out variety. The 26-year-old is locked in a battle with Curt Casali and non-roster invitee Jesus Sucre, who's impressed thus far both at the plate and behind it, for a roster spot. He slashed .227/.252/.361 over 126 plate appearances last season, which represented an improvement over his initial 15-game major league stint in 2015. Maile doesn't offer much in the way of power but does flash above-average speed for a catcher, as evidenced by 11 triples and 13 stolen bases in 18 attempts at the minor league level.

Stubbs (shoulder) didn't throw for the third straight day because of discomfort in his shoulder, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

It doesn't seem too serious, but the Astros are playing it safe with the 23-year-old, who is being held out of Grapefruit League games for the time-being. He slashes .304/.391/.469 in 86 games last season between High-A and Double-A, and he'll likely work in the minors again in 2017.

Narvaez developed a good rapport with several of the White Sox's starters in 2016, something that gives him an edge to claim a roster spot when the team heads north.

Narvaez was decent (.267) in his introduction to the majors, but his presence was felt behind the plate more, a notion reinforced by Carlos Rodon's 3.45 ERA in 12 starts with Narvaez as his battery mate. If the future ace of the staff is comfortable throwing to Narvaez, you can bet he'll have a spot on the 25-man roster. Unfortunately for fantasy players, there's little in Narvaez's minor-league profile to suggest he'll be anything more than a .250-hitter with little pop.

Collins will have to prove he can catch at the major-league level, according to scouts, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Collins, the White Sox's fourth-ranked prospect according to RotoWire, says he uses those scouting assessments as fuel to improve as a catcher. The White Sox also have acknowledged the need to develop his defensive skills, having him primarily focus on that area of the game during the Arizona Fall League. There's a lot on a young catcher's plate -- blocking balls, calling pitches, controlling baserunners, framing pitches -- those are the areas Collins needs to develop over the next few seasons ahead of his 2019 ETA.

Stubbs reported to training camp weighing 10 pounds heavier than when he finished playing in the Arizona Fall League last November, Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Stubbs, the organization's seventh-ranked prospect according to RotoWire, is the catcher closest to the major leagues after reaching Double-A Corpus Christi in 2016. Between High-A Lancaster and his time with the Double-A Hooks, he slashed /304/.391/.469/.860 and was actually better after leaving the hitter-smooching High-A California League. The Astros want to see the slight-framed catcher bulk up to better handle the rigors of catching long term. He'll reach Triple-A this season and is on schedule for MLB in 2018 or 2019.

Perez will begin the 2017 season as the backup catcher to Yan Gomes, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Manager Terry Francona made it clear Thursday morning that there will be no competition between Perez and Gomes for the primary job behind the plate. The skipper added that he'll look for opportunities to work Perez into the mix as often as possible. Even as the backup, the 28-year-old should see a fair amount of innings. Gomes has played in fewer than 100 games in four of his five professional seasons, and he hit a career-low .167 in 251 at-bats last year. If he struggles early or suffers another injury, Perez, who's already a decent fantasy asset in deep leagues, becomes an immediate option across most formats.

Manager Mike Scioscia said that he will let his catcher situation play out this spring and Perez isn't guaranteed to be a backup, the Orange Country Register reports.

It was thought that Martin Maldonado would see the majority of starts behind the dish when the club acquired him this offseason, and while that may end up happening, it appears Perez will get a chance to prove himself this spring. Neither option offers much from an offensive standpoint, so a timeshare would ultimately end what little fantasy value both catchers would have had if there was a full-time starter.